We need a new assistant coach

[The Axe]

Fitzy? I know he just re-signed but.......

[Guest]

Smithy won't want anyone that could become a threat...so that rules out all the good candidates.

I think his son is already an assistant coach?

I'll throw a name up = Steve Folkes.

Chook.

[Guest]

I heard Nathan Brown will be Assistant Coach next season

[Vasco]

I heard Nathan Brown will be Assistant Coach next season

That is odds on to happen.

[Guest]

Brown may help Smith at Roosters
ADRIAN PROSZENKO
July 4, 2010

FORMER St George Illawarra coach Nathan Brown is tipped to make his return to the NRL as Brian Smith's assistant at the Roosters.

And in a further shake-up at Bondi Junction, controversial former Cronulla CEO Tony Zappia is a candidate for the vacant football manager role at the club.

The Roosters are looking for an assistant after Trent Robinson was appointed as head coach of Super League outfit Catalans from next season. Brown is the favourite to replace him due to his strong friendship with long-time mentor Smith, although St Helens coach Mick Potter and former South Sydney coach Jason Taylor, a consultant at the Roosters, are also options.

Brown announced in May that he would return to Australia at the end of the Super League season in Britain, where he is coaching Huddersfield. While the 36-year-old cited family reasons for his decision to return, he has made no secret of his desire to coach again at NRL level. His co-agent, George Mimis, confirmed there was interest from the Roosters but stressed it was one of several options he was exploring.

Smith remained tight-lipped over Robinson's replacement when contacted yesterday.

''There's interest in the job but we haven't sat down to work out which way we're going to go about it at this stage,'' Smith said.

Pressed on Brown's interest, Smith replied: ''I think it's more appropriate you speak to him about that than me divulging who is making applications for jobs.

''That stuff is private and if they want to put themselves out there, they can do that.''

Brown declined to comment until his future was finalised when contacted last week. His stocks have risen following his coaching stint in the Super League.

After making way at the Dragons for Wayne Bennett, the former hooker lifted Huddersfield to a Challenge Cup appearance and third-placed finish in his first season at the helm. The Giants remain in play-off contention this year, sitting in sixth position on the table before their clash against Castleford this weekend.

Roosters CEO Steve Noyce was coy about Robinson's replacement.

''[Smith] also goes back a long way with Mick Potter as well and Jason Taylor, so there would be a number of people [considered],'' Noyce said.

Brown has also been linked to a return to the Dragons, the club he coached for six years.

He has been touted as an assistant to Bennett, who said in a recent Herald interview: ''I think Nathan Brown did a great job here. He got a lot of criticism, but I think he did a lot better job than people give him credit for.

''I walked into a club that wasn't a basket case, I can tell you, and that has helped enormously.''

Of equal interest to Roosters fans will be revelations that Zappia is in the frame for the football manager's role. Zappia held that job at Parramatta, where he worked closely with Smith for a number of years. He left the Eels to take up the CEO post at Cronulla, but his tenure was cut short following a number of controversies, most notably with a female employee, including denying her sick leave, encouraging her to ''spank'' him and an incident which left her with a bruised face. Asked about Zappia's interest, Smith said: ''That job has got absolutely nothing to do with me, you'd need to speak to Steve Noyce about that.''

Quizzed about Zappia, Noyce said: ''No [we haven't spoken to him]. At the appropriate time we'll advertise the position, as we will for the assistant coach position.''

[Guest]

I heard Nathan Brown will be Assistant Coach next season

Nice mail! Looks like more journos have been scouring The Chookpen for news stories.

Taylor, Potter and Brown are all high profile coaches, so it would be great to have any of them as assistant. Brown and Taylor both seemed to have good tactical ability, but were too close to being 'one of the boys'. This is something Smith has never been, so he could teach them a lesson there.

I couldn't imagine Potter, Brown or Taylor staying in an assitant coach too long though, so I would think this would be a stepping stone back into the NRL for any of these candidates.

[Adolf Fittler]

If Frank Zappa gets a gig with this club ..........im gone!!

[Guest]

If Frank Zappa gets a gig with this club ..........im gone!!

I chose to ignore that part of the article.

Its a bit rich the board demanding the players clean up their act and then employing a ****wit like this as football manager.

[Guest]

If Frank Zappa gets a gig with this club ..........im gone!!

Our club seems to have a dickhead policy I'd prefer a no dickhead policy